The 2008 Cornwall and West Devon Swimming League got under way at Quayside Leisure Centre on April 26 where Kingfishers hosted Tavistock and Cornish visitors Truro City and Carn Brea.
The pattern for the event was set very early as Kingfishers dominated the opening two relay events taking both races with clear water.
Hester Stembridge then opened the individual events, coming home first in the girls 11/u 50m freestyle before Richard Forman raced away with the boys' version of the same event, the first of two victories for Richard on the evening.
The star performer at Quayside on the evening was 15-year-old Aaron Rickhuss. Aaron took first place in all three of his events, the boys' 15/u 100m backstroke and freestyle and also the Men's Open 100m backstroke in a new PB of 63.14.
Aaron's swimming is starting to reach new levels and indeed shortly after this gala he achieved a national qualification time for the English Championships in the 200m backstroke during the South West England Youth Championships at Millfield.
In the female events, Holly Gunner led the way, winning two events, taking the girls 15/u 100m butterfly in a great new PB of 1:10.65.
Laker Wong and George Grace were Kingfishers' other double winners, George finally dipping under the 1:10.00 barrier in the Open 100m breastroke by winning in 69.99.
Kingfishers continued to rack up the wins all evening. Blazing home first were Ella Paddon (girls' 11/u 50m breastroke), Harriet Arscott (girls' 11/u 50m backstroke), Will Rawlinson (boys' 15/u 100m breastroke), Sam Jones (who produced a great PB of 68.17 in the boys' 15/u 100m butterfly) and Fiona Wilson (Ladies Open 100m breastroke).
Claire Harrison weighed in with two personal best times and took a good 2nd place in the girls 13/u 50m backstroke and Conor Morgan also produced a huge PB to take 2nd in the Men's Open 100m butterfly in 67.12.
Of the 19 relay events on the evening, Kingfishers won 13 to rubber stamp their dominance on the evening and secure an emphatic win in the gala:
Final scores:
Kingsbridge Kingfishers - 178
Carn Brea - 140
Truro City - 97
Tavistock - 84
Results in the other two galas being held on the same evening leave Kingfishers in 2nd place in the 12-team league, behind Plymouth Leander.
Coach Sharon Mulligan would very much like for Kingfishers to hold on to that spot over the next two concluding galas.
Also swimming for Kingfishers were Alysia Stringer, Ben King, Harry Preston, Freddie Buckle, Lily Edmonds, Shannon Vaughan, Daniel Arscott, Robert Dorey, Grace Mulligan, Abi Edmonds, Hayley Arthur, Jessica Rigby, Freddie Richards, James Pinwill, Roseanna Perry and Eleanor Burt.
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